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  1. #1
    Member 2 Trail Hikers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Travelers Rest, S.C.
    Hammock
    ENO DN x 2
    Tarp
    Homemade
    Insulation
    Working on it
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    57

    Hello from Upstate SC

    Hi Everyone I'm Russell my wife is Beth. I'm 39 she's 36, both of us have been career driven practically our whole life. After years of climbing the preverbal corporate ladder it took the passing of my mom after a 3 year battle with brain cancer to make us realize life is too short. In September 2013 we decided to take a huge step and downsize our lives. We are building a small one bedroom house on land next door to my father, the goal is to build this debt free. Once completed we have decided that I will leave a career that has taken me nearly 21 years to achieve. The end goal is to hike a trail we have intentionally avoided every weekend and every vacation with the intention to thru hike it and see it all for the first time. We have done numerous hikes in the past couple of years, and were avid hikers until a back injury sidelined Beth. Several years passed and work got more intense so hiking wasn’t something we were afforded time to do. In a moment of desperation we opted to leave the house and head into western North Carolina for a short day hike, within a few 100 yards we both had that warm joyous feeling and knew this is what we were meant to do. As mom’s illness progressed we spent more time with her as we knew her days were numbered. After her passing we made the commitment to make the dream of the AT a reality. So far we are off to an amazing start our friends have pitched in and helped us build from the ground up and in 3 and a half months we can see the completion of what we call Operation Dream Maker in the very near future. Initially we thought 2015 would be our year to thru hike the AT, while we are still hopeful we may not finish and recover financially in time for this to happen. Regardless the dream is alive and nothing is going to damper it. We look forward to learning from all the wonderful people here on the forum.
    Do not walk in front of me, for I will not follow you. Do not walk behind me, for I will not lead you. Rather, walk beside me, and be my soul mate.

    http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaKHyJOpRx_A6fFbJU_ZquQ

    https://www.facebook.com/Russell.Ledford.2TrailHikers

  2. #2
    Senior Member Gresh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Irmo, South Carolina
    Hammock
    Dream Hammock Dangerbird
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    UGQ Winter Dream
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    UGQ Full Set
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    Cinch Buckles
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    2,666
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    3
    Welcome from Irmo, and good luck in your goals!

    If you're interested, Palmetto State Hangers (a SC hammock camping group) is taking a backpacking trip in Sumter National Forest the weekend of the 22nd. The link in my signature will take you to our Facebook group, where there's more information on the trip. Hope you can join us and get to know a bunch of other SC hammock campers!
    I used to be a somebody, now I just camp.

  3. #3
    Senior Member 2ply's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Soco Gap, NC
    Hammock
    Clark DLX, ENO SN, BIAS WWM
    Tarp
    OxPalace,Big Squid
    Insulation
    Oxgear, KAQ, WL
    Suspension
    Whoopies/Dutchware
    Posts
    1,798
    Images
    3
    Welcome to HF from Ga. Great bunch of hangers in the Upstate. Ya'll should try to make it to a group hang in your area.
    Everyone ought to believe in something....I believe I'll go set up the hammock!

  4. #4
    Member 2 Trail Hikers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Travelers Rest, S.C.
    Hammock
    ENO DN x 2
    Tarp
    Homemade
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    Working on it
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    Posts
    57
    Thanks for the welcome guys, were still getting equipment together so far we have one tarp working on a double for both of us and underquilts the house is taking up a lot of our time but we do need to take a break and get out once it warms up a bit.
    Do not walk in front of me, for I will not follow you. Do not walk behind me, for I will not lead you. Rather, walk beside me, and be my soul mate.

    http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaKHyJOpRx_A6fFbJU_ZquQ

    https://www.facebook.com/Russell.Ledford.2TrailHikers

  5. #5
    Senior Member Gresh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Irmo, South Carolina
    Hammock
    Dream Hammock Dangerbird
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    UGQ Winter Dream
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    We've got a pretty solid calendar of trips planned for the year, if you'd like to make it to any of them. From my experience, that's the absolute BEST way to learn anything - making it to a group hang and seeing everybody else's setups went a long way toward my education!
    I used to be a somebody, now I just camp.

  6. #6
    Member 2 Trail Hikers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Travelers Rest, S.C.
    Hammock
    ENO DN x 2
    Tarp
    Homemade
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    Working on it
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    Posts
    57
    Sounds good I appreciate the heads up.
    Do not walk in front of me, for I will not follow you. Do not walk behind me, for I will not lead you. Rather, walk beside me, and be my soul mate.

    http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaKHyJOpRx_A6fFbJU_ZquQ

    https://www.facebook.com/Russell.Ledford.2TrailHikers

  7. #7
    Senior Member grannypat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    In the woods outside of Westminster, SC
    Hammock
    DIY, Dutch Argon
    Tarp
    Squidbilly/Tadpole
    Insulation
    20 Incubator,WL SS
    Suspension
    whoopies, MSH
    Posts
    3,069
    Condolences on the loss of your mother. Welcome to the forums from the Upstate. There is going to be a group hang at Raven Cliff Falls, outside of Helen, GA on March 21-23. Even if you can't hang, come by for the day and meet some folks and check out gear, even do some hiking if you want.
    Keep movin', keep believing and enjoy the journey!

  8. #8
    Member 2 Trail Hikers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Travelers Rest, S.C.
    Hammock
    ENO DN x 2
    Tarp
    Homemade
    Insulation
    Working on it
    Suspension
    Whoopie Slings
    Posts
    57
    Thank you Grannypat.
    Do not walk in front of me, for I will not follow you. Do not walk behind me, for I will not lead you. Rather, walk beside me, and be my soul mate.

    http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaKHyJOpRx_A6fFbJU_ZquQ

    https://www.facebook.com/Russell.Ledford.2TrailHikers

  9. #9
    Senior Member Gresh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Irmo, South Carolina
    Hammock
    Dream Hammock Dangerbird
    Tarp
    UGQ Winter Dream
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    Cinch Buckles
    Posts
    2,666
    Images
    3
    For the record - I love TR. My wife went to Furman, so I remember a lot of good times running up the road to the Wal-Mart when it first got built!
    I used to be a somebody, now I just camp.

  10. #10
    TallPaul's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
    Hammock
    WBXLC, WBBB, LiteOwl
    Tarp
    Superfly, MambaJam
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    HG Phoenix, WL Sum
    Suspension
    Webbing, Whoopies
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    4,076
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    Welcome from Charlotte.
    Maybe I'll see you out on the trails.
    You are also close to a number of NC hangs if you need more choices.

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